1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system to which a bookbinding apparatus can be connected.
2. Description of the Related Art
Due to the increased functionality of recent digital image processing apparatuses and the like, in order to prevent an unauthorized operation such as unauthorized access via the network to output a classified document or the like, it becomes necessary to manage users who operate an image processing apparatus or the like. To this end, personal authentication is performed to thereby identify a user and improve security.
Further, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2001-22239 discloses an image processing apparatus which performs personal authentication (fingerprint authentication). According to the publication, it is determined whether or not image data has digital watermark information, and it is determined from the information whether or not the document to be copied is classified. If it is a classified document, personal authentication is performed on a person who attempts to copy the document and printing is permitted only when the person is authenticated.
However, the conventional configuration has the following problems:
(1) In copying a finished book made by bookbinding, it is required to unbind the finished book into separate sheets again.
(2) In the case of (1), if the finished book suffers from miss gathering, it is copied with the defect of miss gathering.
(3) Even if an original image used for making a finished book has been changed, a change in the original image is not reflected on the copy which is output.